Who Won the Republican Debate? Three Analysts Give Their Verdict

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley both gave respectable performances during the first 2024 GOP primary debate, while entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy benefited the most in terms of profile boost despite his lack of political prowess, analysts have told Newsweek.

Eight Republican presidential hopefuls took the stage for the first time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday night to take part in the first televised debate of the 2024 campaign.

One person who did not attend the event was Donald Trump, who refused to appear because of his overwhelming lead in the GOP primary polls. Instead, the former president took part in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which was broadcast on X, formerly Twitter, at the same time.

Despite the lack of firebrand Trump on the stage, the debate was still a spicy occasion at times.

Vivek Ramaswamy Relishes Role As Outsider

The candidate who took the most heat was Ramaswamy, a political newcomer who was blasted by some of the more experienced candidates such as Haley and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on issues such as his lack of foreign policy and style of campaigning. Former Vice President Mike Pence also dismissed Ramaswamy as a "rookie" while telling potential voters "now is not the time for on-the-job training."

Despite this, Ramaswamy—who has overtaken DeSantis as the second-placed candidate in some recent GOP primary polls—seemed to relish in the attention and thrived on the role as the outsider, even as he was facing attacks. Whether Ramaswamy can continue this momentum and be seen as a serious challenger until next year remains to be seen.

"This was the first time most Americans got to lay eyes on Vivek Ramaswamy and he was more than happy to have the spotlight on himself," David B. Cohen, professor of political science at the University of Akron in Ohio, told Newsweek.

"He started strong but withered under relentless pounding from Christie, Haley, and Pence, especially on foreign policy. He is clearly trying to pick up the mantle as the next leader of the MAGA movement."

Ron DeSantis Solid but Sidelined

With Ramaswamy bearing the brunt of the attacks, DeSantis—whose campaign has been floundering for months after previously been considered Trump's main rival in the GOP primary—was more sidelined than expected.

While DeSantis' performance may not have done anything to help his stagnating poll numbers, the Florida governor still showcased himself as a main player in the primary.

"Ron DeSantis probably beat expectations tonight, perhaps because the debate did not involve speaking to people one-on-one and having to make conversation," Cohen said.

Tom Preston, a professor of communication at the University of North Georgia, added that DeSantis was able to refer to his experience in Florida "well enough to establish a vision regarding his issues on COVID, the economy, approaches to education, and other social issues" on the debate stage.

"Regarding establishing enough presence, Haley, Christie, and Pence claiming the advantage of their experience took center stage in heated exchanges with Ramaswamy's assertion of his youth and fresh approach," Preston told Newsweek.

"This allows an audience to remember those four candidates, although perhaps not enough to overcome DeSantis or 'the elephant not in the room'—Donald Trump, at this point in the campaign."

However, Sean Freeder, assistant professor of political science at the University of North Florida, suggested that DeSantis struggled to stand out from the crowded field on Wednesday night.

"Rather than coming after DeSantis, the other candidates chose to treat him as an also-ran, which may have been a smart strategic move—he felt somewhat lost in the pack despite his best efforts," Freeder told Newsweek.

Nikki Haley 'Nuanced and Honest'

Another candidate whose campaign was given a needed boost on Wednesday was Haley, who delivered some of the most memorable lines of the night while calling for the GOP to be more measured in terms of abortion rights.

"We need to stop demonizing this issue," Haley said. "Can't we all agree that contraception should be available? And can't we all agree that we are not going to put a woman in jail or give her the death penalty if she gets an abortion?"

Freeder said that in a "sane world," Haley would benefit in the polls off the back of her performance in the debate.

"She was direct, nuanced, and honest. I expect her to get at least a minor boost in the coming weeks, but in the world we live in, Ramaswamy will probably get the biggest boost—he was the most distinguishable candidate and tried the hardest to advertise that, despite an energetic but substantively hollow performance," he said.

"In the long run, I think his politician-via-motivational-speaker approach will wear thin with voters."

Cohen added that Haley had "a solid performance" on Wednesday night while "criticizing Trump but not so much as to antagonize the GOP base."

Best of the Rest

With regards to the other potential also-ran candidates, Cohen suggested South Carolina Tim Scott did not help himself in this debate as "more than a few people in America nodded off during his canned answers." Cohen added that Pence was "uncharacteristically aggressive" at times and did a "solid job defending his actions ignoring Trump's directives" on January 6.

"Chris Christie and [former Arkansas governor] Asa Hutchinson were the only candidates willing to consistently criticize Trump," Cohen told Newsweek. "They were unpopular in the debate hall but are the faces of the Never Trump crowd in the field."

Freeder added that Scott "has a chance to break out in future debates, but he needs to work on finding his voice" while Pence "tried his best to retain his relevance," and Hutchinson "failed to gain any."